Liber I, Pars III — Quomodo reges et principes se habere debeant circa spem, et desperationem. Cap. V.

Liber I, Pars III — Quomodo reges et principes se habere debeant circa spem, et desperationem. Cap. V.

When we discussed the order of the passions of the soul, we said that love and hatred are the primary passions, while desire and aversion are the secondary passions; after these, hope and despair should be placed in third place. It remains to see how kings and princes should conduct themselves regarding hope and despair. But if we consider the previously mentioned points, it is not difficult to know how kings and princes should behave in this regard. For it was said above that they ought to be humble and magnanimous: therefore, when humility moderates hope, because the humble, recognizing their own shortcomings, do not hope beyond what they should; magnanimity, on the other hand, restrains despair, because the magnanimous do not despair due to the difficulty of the task: if kings and princes are humble and magnanimous, they will exceed in what is to be hoped for because of their magnanimity, and they will not hope for what should not be hoped for because of their humility. We can, however, demonstrate in four ways that it is fitting for kings and princes to conduct themselves appropriately regarding hope, to hope for what is to be hoped for, and to undertake what is to be undertaken. For if kings hoped for nothing and undertook nothing, they would be cowardly and would not properly handle the affairs of the kingdom. There are, however, four things to consider regarding hope, as is commonly stated, for which we can argue that it is fitting for kings and princes to be hopeful. For hope is primarily about good: for there is no hope concerning evil, but rather fear. Secondly, hope pertains to difficult goods; for although there can be love or desire for any good, hope cannot exist unless it is directed toward a difficult good. No one is said to hope unless they believe that a difficult good is attainable. Thirdly, hope exists in relation to future goods; for there is no hope regarding present goods, although there can be joy and delight. Fourthly, hope pertains to possible goods, because no one hopes for what is impossible, but rather despairs. These four aspects—namely, the good, the difficult, the future, and the possible—should especially be the focus of kings and princes. For since kings and princes are the bearers of the law, and according to the Philosopher it is proper for them to establish laws, it is fitting for them to hope for good. Moreover, since the principal intention of the legislator and the law, as we have shown above, should be a divine and common good, it is not only fitting for kings and princes to strive for good, but also to aim for difficult good. Furthermore, the greater the community, the more things can happen to it; therefore, it requires greater providence and wiser counsel. Since providence and counsel only concern future matters, because no one deliberates about impossibilities, as the Philosopher states. Regarding ethics, past matters, which are immutable, can be understood from this. Ethics. They don't fall under counsel, nor do they fall under providence. Therefore, it's fitting for kings and princes to consider goods not only as they are difficult, but also as they are future. It is also fitting for them to consider such things as possible. For the poor, the powerless, and the unknown, if they are not magnanimous and withdraw from some difficult goods, seem to merit indulgence, because civil power, wealth, and nobility are not granted to them, so they can pursue such goods: but kings and princes, to whom nobility of lineage, civil power, and abundance of wealth belong, seem to be inexcusable if they are cowardly and do not believe that it is possible for them to pursue difficult goods worthy of great honor. Therefore, since kings and princes ought to strive for difficult goods and should provide for possible future goods for their kingdom, it is fitting for them to be hopeful through magnanimity, because they have everything required for a proper hope. Having seen how it is fitting for kings and princes to conduct themselves well in hoping for what is to be hoped for, it remains to see how they should conduct themselves in not hoping for what is not to be hoped for. For it is fitting for them to investigate with great diligence what they should hope for and what they should undertake. For just as they should be eager through magnanimity to undertake difficult tasks and hope for what is worth hoping for, so they should be moderate through humility, so that they do not attempt anything beyond their own capabilities. And they should not hope for what is not worth hoping for. We can investigate in two ways what it is appropriate for kings and princes to undertake beyond their means and to hope for beyond what is worth hoping for. The first way is derived from the nature of the king's office. The second is from the people entrusted to him. For hoping beyond what is worth hoping for and undertaking tasks beyond one's means seems to proceed from imprudence or from some immoderate passion. Wherefore, it is written in the Rhetoric that young people are always to hope for good things from any endeavor, even if it is beyond their means; young people hope well. This happens because of ignorance: the inexperienced cannot recognize the difficulty of the task. This also happens due to an excessive passion: for when the heat within them is too great, they burst forth to attempt things they cannot accomplish. We could also say that the drunkard hopes for more than he should: because, heated by wine and drunkenness, he loses the use of reason and attempts things he cannot achieve. Since, therefore, the royal office requires a prudent man and one not driven by excessive passion, it is fitting for kings and princes not to undertake anything beyond their strength and not to hope for what should not be hoped for. Secondly, this is fitting for them in relation to the people entrusted to them. For, as much as possible, he exposes himself to danger who undertakes something beyond his strength. If, therefore, it is inappropriate to expose the whole people and the entire kingdom to dangers, kings and princes should carefully and diligently consider what they will undertake, so that they do not take on something too difficult for their strength, and so that they do not hope for what should not be hoped for.